


Haunted

by Morfanerina



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Gen, Ghosts, Haunting, Hurt Leonardo (TMNT), Hurt/Comfort, I don't know what I'm doing but I was stressed and I couldn't draw, Sporadic Updates, What are titles, and the turtles get the stick this time, leo no, so I had to release my creative juices on fanfiction, who knows how this will actually go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2020-05-16 02:18:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19308628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morfanerina/pseuds/Morfanerina
Summary: Leo has always been able to sense stuff his brothers' couldn't. It wasn't really a secret but he certainly wasn't going to any of his family members and say "Hey I have a ghost following me and it doesn't let me sleep, can you like, help me with an exorcism or something?"Maybe he should have though.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have the beginning of a plot here. I think.

It was cold.

Leo burrowed deeper in his blankets, trying to win back some of his temperature. It wasn’t really working but his other choice was getting out of bed and that he didn’t want to. If underneath three blankets he was already feeling like a popsicle, he didn’t want to think about getting out of his shelter.

The red-eared slider fingered his cellphone - he might have fallen asleep looking at memes and sharing them with April again – considering his options. He could just call one of his brothers to his room, complaining about being cold. Any of his brothers’ would be annoyed, probably barging in, ready to tell him off about waking them at 4 a.m, followed by a moment of confusion as the temperature was far lower than it should be. Depending on which brother, the reaction would be unique but, in the end, Don would be trying to discover what the heck was happening, Raph would be dragging him out of the room, still swaddled as a burrito, and Mikey would somehow get inside the cocoon and try to share body heat the moment he was put down. Maybe he would even receive a hot chocolate!

…  
He couldn’t. Well, he could but he wouldn’t. His brothers’ wouldn’t find anything wrong with the room itself and this lack of knowledge would disturb Don for weeks and make Raph and Mikey nervous, their superstitious minds blaring warning bells. Not that they were wrong, but if there was a brother that was to be occasionally haunted, it might as well be the one who _wouldn’t_ have a mental breakdown every time he woke up to a new ghost. And who knew how Pop would react.

He wondered which type of ghost was visiting tonight. Powerful if it froze the air around him so much, so quickly, but not necessarily malicious. He just woke up because it was cold, not due to bad feelings or terrifying nightmares – as has happened a couple times before. Still, he really didn’t want to see this ghost and have a heart to heart (soul to soul?) and risk being possessed or whatever this one wanted. Even a small conversation might be dangerous at this temperature. Ah, the disadvantages of being cold blooded.

He guessed he would have to deal with it alone. Again.

Leo unlocked his phone, squinting as the light blinded him for a few seconds, and went for the search engine first. Time to refresh his knowledge of exorcisms.


	2. Chapter 2

When Leo finally arrived at the kitchen, everyone was already there, feasting on another of Mikey’s attempts at a five-star breakfast. April had bought new ingredients the previous day and the youngest turtle had been determined to try a new fancy – and “nutritious” - recipe. Luckily, this meant that none of his family members should be wondering why he was so late, too focused on the delicious looking breakfast. Well, except Raph, who had already finished his dish and stared at him curiously.

Going behind the still sleepy looking Don, he stole a few pieces of strawberry. It was a testament on how late his twin stayed awake the previous night that he only received a fast glare before the other’s attention was stolen by the still steaming coffee. It seemed he wasn’t the only one with a late start.

“Morning Leon!” Mikey chirped, and the blue banded turtle grinned at the smaller turtle, sitting on the only free space left (in the middle of Don and Raph), a breakfast plate still untouched, ready to be eaten, right in front of him “You arrived just in time bro, Raph was ready to eat your portion!”

Glancing at his older brother, Leo gave a dramatic gasp “Raph. You abstained from eating my plate?” he put his hand on the other’s forehead and whispered conspiratorially “Are you sick?” His answer was a slap on his arm with a grumble, face turned away not fast enough for him to miss the cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

At least the bigger turtle stopped staring at him.

Satisfied that no one, not even Pop (though the rat could be sneakily studying him behind the newspaper) was paying attention, he scarfed down his food, sneaking extras from Don. Exorcisms always made him extra hungry. Probably something about using extra spiritual energy which made his metabolic rate shoot up.

Oh God, he sounded like Donnie.

After breakfast and a hastily made cup of tea to try to warm himself, he made sure to escape everyone else by loudly declaring the rest weren’t in a cool enough level to do what he was going to do, while grabbing his skateboard. He resolutely ignored Raph’s apprehensive look as he also took his Odachi, going perhaps a bit too fast for the sewers. Oh well.

\---…---

Raph stared contemplatively as his younger brother almost ran out of the lair. Something was wrong. The red banded turtle didn’t bother following his brother as he knew he would lose the other easily (for all his clumsiness, Leo could be extremely sneaky and fast when it really suited him) and so, he was left wondering what to do next by himself.

“Did he sleep?” startled, the oldest turtle turned around and blinked as Don looked at him, a blank look on his face. Seeing as Raph wasn’t answering, the softshell turtle explained “He wasn’t as loud or as annoying as he should. And he looked…. Tired…” Don glanced at the lair’s entrance and frowned “also he stole half of my food”.

The snapping turtle narrowed his eyes “Insomnia hitting again?” for all that their brother complained about the small things, he was surprisingly quiet about stuff that actually affected his health. A worrying habit that only hit them with how dangerous it could be when the red-eared slider fainted after trying to deal with a nasty flu by himself when they were ten. Don was perhaps the only one who could drag those issues to the surface before they inevitably ended up worse, but mostly because he was almost as bad as Leo.

“Not that he has told me”

The two turtles stayed silent for a few moments. It could be nothing, just a bad night, yet his big brother instincts were screaming at him.

“…Movie night?” Raph asked suddenly.

“Movie night.” Don answered resolutely and then turned back to his lab “Tell him to bring some pizza when he comes to lunch. I’ll prepare with Mikey and ask Dad if we can use the projector”


	3. Chapter 3

Leo skipped lunch. It hadn’t been on purpose really, time just flew by! In between trying to warm himself by training some new moves, chanting whatever he found on the internet that was «100% guarantee to get rid of ghosts!» and then meditating (which he’ll forever deny doing but it had worked before), lunchtime slipped by and so did the rest of the day, with nothing helping. It was official then, he was being haunted and the stubborn being just didn’t go away!

… Had he ever been so cold for so long?

The turtle hadn’t actually realized just how long he had stayed out until Mikey texted him about bringing back some pizza for a movie night dinner. He grimaced. He really didn’t feel like it but he couldn’t deny them after he skipped lunch. That would just be asking for overprotective Raph to throw him at Don’s (nonexistent) mercy.

That might actually be the plan, Leo had certainly used it enough around Don that they might have picked it up.

Admitting he wasn’t going to solve anything on the sewer’s ground, he slowly went to Señor Hueso’s restaurant, wincing as his muscles complained about staying so long in the same position.

The restaurant was warm. That was the first thought Leo had as he stepped inside the restaurant. It was the first time since breakfast that he actually felt some warmth.

He slid as smoothly as he could to near Hueso and plastered a wide smile, waiting as the skeleton tried to ignore him like always.

It took more than two minutes, impressive.

“Ah Pepino” Hueso drawled, finally deigning to turn to one of his more constant costumers. Leo’s smile strained when he saw the skull’s expression change for a second into something more… worried? Before continuing in his more condescending speak “Here for more mayhem?”

“Nah, he´s with April. I would looooove some pizzas though” the turtle made sure to smile extra obnoxiously as he showed his frequent costumer cards “A couple are free too. Oooh and some garlic bread while I wait?” with the smell he was reminded he was starving. Weird, how one could forget his hunger when other matter occupy the mind.

Senor Hueso squinted and then sighed “I suppose you would like the usual?”

“Yep!” and as the owner turned to ask the cooks his order, Leo sat on a chair nearby and played with his phone, ignoring the rest of the people. He wasn’t in the mood for idle conversation.

In what he felt were seconds a steaming cup was put in front of him. He blinked and looked at Hueso, who had a blank face on him as he studied the turtle “It’s on the house. You seem like you need the warmth Pepino” before the blue banded turtle could recover from the surprise, the skeleton turned to another costumer. Shrugging he picked the cup. The warmth of what seemed hot chocolate seeped into his skin and he relaxed. He took care not to burn his tongue as he sipped the chocolate, shivering as the odd cold was chased away by the drink. He finished it as the skeleton brought the garlic bread order and couldn’t help a soft grin from escaping him.

“Thanks” Leo’s grin grew as Senor Hueso hummed in acknowledgement to his gratitude, already turning away.

When the pizzas were finally done, everything seemed normal again. Paying the skeleton for his order, Leo threw one of his awesome one liners and felt triumphant when the yokai sniped at him as usual.

Taking the pizzas carefully, he went home, enjoying the warmth that came from the food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, if Yokai really are on the mystic scene, this would mean they would have knowledge about the Spirit world maybe? At the very least, some would feel something's off, no?


	4. Chapter 4

Donatello wasn’t the type to follow his instincts. Cold logic and science was his domain, emotions and instincts more his brothers’. So why was he twitching in worry for his so called twin? It was just a bad night, one in many that Leo liked to pretend never happened. And yet…

When Leo stole the strawberries he was so cold.

Their home wasn’t cold. Leo would complain if all the hot water had been used so it wasn’t that. Don was fairly sure his brother hadn’t been injured in the last fight. Or poisoned. Did the small A.C. he had added to their rooms malfunction? Was there a water leak on Leo’s room?

Why didn’t he say anything?

It was the silence that made his worry spike. Leo complained too much yet never enough. He didn’t complain much about serious stuff so he wouldn’t worry the rest of the family, it was a fact just as much as Mikey having anger bubbling beneath that cheery personality of his.

Splinter had accepted the movie night plan. With Mikey’s help, they dragged two bean bags and put them on each side of their father’s chair. Don made sure to keep the mild sedative near his spot on the beanbag.

Was it extreme to immediately drug his own brother in case the other bolted or tried to escape the movie session? Or to make him relax and sleep in easy view of his brother’s? At the very least he would have a restful night.

No, Don decided, it wasn’t extreme at all, no matter how much Splinter squinted at him.

Having skipped lunch, Leo had put a bullseye on his shell. It wasn’t just Raph or himself, but also Mikey and Splinter who were aware something was up. Whether it was an actual thing or they were being overprotective was up to discussion of course.

“I’m hoooooooooooome” Leo’s obnoxious voice boomed at the lair’s entrance and Don peeked as his brother sauntered to the kitchen, where Mikey was preparing a new kind of popcorn topping.  
Well, even if it was just them being overprotective, at least they would get pizza and the projector for a night.

\---….-----…

Leo felt like himself again. He wondered if maybe yokai establishments had sigils or similar to keep out ghosts and other beings? Or one of his exorcisms worked? Or the ghost got tired of being shooed away and decided to bugger off?

He didn’t really care, it was movie night and he was determined to show that he was fine and had just lost track of time. And to enjoy some Lou Jitsu action of course.

Mikey had experimented again and this time he decided to give the popcorn some type of Nori flavor? The blue banded turtle could see Don didn’t care much for the topping, going for the normal batch after a handful of them. Raph didn’t care, shoving as much popcorn as he could into his mouth and Mikey seemed to be slightly disappointed with it. Well that won’t do.

Munching as obnoxiously as he could he spoke to his younger brother “This is good bro! Love it!”

He was pretty sure Mikey barely understood his actual words but by the joyful smile and sparkly eyes the message went across.

It was in the middle of the second film, as he sipped on the tea Mikey offered that he started getting sleepy. He lazily glanced at his brothers, wondering if he should go to bed or stay until the end and noticed his twin studying him. As nonchalantly as he could, he looked at his other two siblings on the chair and yes, they were trying to be inconspicuous while sneaking glances at him. They weren’t the best at it but props for the try.

If it made them feel better, Leo guessed he could stay and fall asleep where he would probably get a crick in the neck.

The things he did for this family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Half of this was written on a plane and then "edited" on the night before going by train to train for my thesis. Gonna do some taxonomy! (heeeeelp)


	5. Chapter 5

Leo woke up lethargic. Blearily, he looked around the room, noticing his brothers were asleep in the same places he last saw them, though now covered with blankets. Mikey and Raph were cuddling on the sofa and his twin was in the other beanbag, snoring and oblivious to the world. The projector was off – Pops passed by and turned if off probably -, the only lights the one from Don’s lab, probably because his computer was doing some other calculations, and the on light from the projector. He moved on the beanbag, cuddling closer to his blanket.

He was cold again.

And he shouldn’t be able to see his brothers so clearly with only those light sources.

Startled from the realization, he focused on the actual light source, turning on the bean bag so that his plastron was down and head slightly supported by it. A ghost. A fully formed, actually glowing spiritual being on the corner of the room.

Now, Leo rarely actually saw ghosts as people. In fact, he faintly remembered only seeing some fully formed twice. Usually it was just the sensations and sounds, at best an odd light like a firefly or only on a reflective surface (which, he admitted, could be very unnerving).

He didn’t like seeing it.

It had the form of a human teenager, maybe late teens, ripped hoodie, ripped jeans and what seemed to be some major bruises on the pale face. Their eyes… well he couldn’t see them though he could feel them – him? – watching.

The turtle glanced at his brothers. He could see his breath and feel the cold yet his brothers weren’t even shivering - though he could see Don burrowing deeper into his blanket, only the top of his head being visible.

Leo turned his attention back to the ghost and froze.

It was inches away from his face and a shiver went down his spine as his eyes locked on the black space where the others’ eyes should be.

It was an agonizingly long time for the turtle to actually gain control of his movements and try to lean away from the ghost, trying to be as quiet as possible. In his room he had some ofuda he bought from a yokai. He wasn’t sure if it worked but with the vibes he got from this ghost, he hoped they did.

The red eyed slider had almost gotten off the beanbag when the dead teen moved its arms and he felt himself locking up again, feeling helpless as it cupped his head –

His head felt like needles were stabbing into it, his lungs filling with ice, his limbs shrieking at the pinprickles sensations, like static – Oh god he was blacking out, disappearing what was it  
doing it _hurt_ getawaygetaway **geTAWAY** -

Leo fell off the bean bag.

\--…--

Mikey opened his eyes, an odd feeling of alarm waking him up. He felt the blanket and his eldest brother around him, his presence enough to stop Mikey from jumping off his place.

Did he have a nightmare he couldn’t remember?

Poking his head out of the little cocoon he found himself in, he noticed the room was dark, only the subtle light of Don’s lab stopping him from being completely blind. Admittedly, this only meant he could kind of see Donnie’s outline, Leo’s side being completely enveloped in darkness.

Worry prickled when he looked at Leo’s side and he strained his senses, trying to either see or hear anything from that side of the room. Between the deep breathing from his sleeping brothers, he heard a faster one in that direction.

Maybe it wasn’t his nightmare that woke him up.

Deciding to check, he carefully wriggled free from Raph’s thankfully lax hold and frowned. It was kind of cold for this time of year. He managed to find his phone and carefully walked to Leo, using the screen light to light his way and not blind his brother.

Mikey stiffened when he saw the dazed look on Leo’s eyes as he came into view. His older brother laid down on the ground breathing shallowly, eyes dazed and wandering around the room. He looked confused. And pained, by his grimace. A night terror?

Deciding to not to make any sounds that could scare the dazed turtle, the youngest turtle scooted carefully near his brother, hissing as the temperature seemed to drop nearest to the beanbag. He poked him a couple of time – Leo was _freezing_ \- and received a half-hearted slap his way before the other went limp, dazed eyes now at half-mast but looking at him.

It took quite a bit of maneuvering but Mikey managed to help Leo stumble his way to Raph, almost shoving him into the bigger turtle’s arms. As expected, the oldest brother blearily opened his eyes, took a sleepy look at a worried brother and the dazed and freezing younger brother he was woken up for and latched onto the victim, covering them both with the blanket.

Satisfied his blue banded brother was at the sleepy care of their momma bear sibling he turned, thinking of going to his room…

He looked again at the place where Leo’s beanbag and the unusually cold space was.

Mikey walked to the other beanbag and prodded Donny, who immediately, unconsciously, made some space for his youngest brother, and hid his head on his brother’s plastron, snuggling to the genius.

He tried to ignore the prickling sensation from the cold and the feeling from wrongness outside his little cocoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No editing, we post like sleep deprived master student researchers
> 
> How far can I push the story before changing the rating? I don't want gore or anything but. ghosts. death. they kind of are interconnected? (why yes I have a kind of, flimsy plot in the works)


	6. Chapter 6

Someone was talking to him.

Leo knew he was being spoken to. He was aware of it, however, he was still groggy and he really wanted to go back to sleep, why are they being so insistent _he wants to sleep-_

“Ple- ke- -by blue” a warm, five fingered hand cupped his left cheek and he suddenly realized he was actually being cradled, his right cheek on one of his sibling’s plastron. Raph, his mind told him. Why was he being held by his older brother again?

The warm hand patted his cheek, a way to try to gain his attention.

“Baby blue?” his dad called and the turtle, even with sleep trying to drag him back to unconsciousness, noticed the strained, worried tone.

Was someone hurt? Wait, no, his Pops was trying to wake _him_. Was he hurt? Was that why Raph was holding him?

He struggled to open his eyes. When he did manage to do it, his vision was blurry and he could only see blobs of color. He tried looking around, but his head didn’t want to move really. Blinking simply made him fight to open them again and really, what was the harm of closing them just for a few more seconds…

“Leonardo!” Splinter called, rispid and authoritative and worried. The red-eared slider snapped his eyes open and automatically looked at his father’s direction. Something was put at his beak, startling him and making him try and reel back. It was taken away and then a three fingered grabbed his own. When he felt the cool glass he got what they wanted him to do, though he dreaded whatever they were actually trying to give him to drink.

Knowing his family it could go from Gatorade to a weird mix of medicine that tasted like sewer water to a weird concoction that was supposed to be healing tea but only made him throw up.

\---…---…

Raph sighed in relief when Leo actually seemed to focus enough to understand they wanted him to drink. He adjusted his brother to make it easier for his dad to help give the small concoction Donatello had cooked up, and tried not to think of how limp his usually energetic sibling was in his arms.

He glanced at Don’s lab as he heard another thing break from the inside. He was obviously bothered by the situation.

They had panicked when Leo hadn’t reacted to any of their attempts to wake him besides some groans, despite him usually waking at the slightest movement. In the couple of minutes it took for Raph to go to their father and explain the situation, Don had checked the red-eared slider up and immediately went to his lab with barely an explanation, leaving three confused family members with instructions to continue to try rousing the unconscious turtle.

Said turtle groaned and hid his face in his plastron, stealing his attention again. Splinter seemed satisfied enough, an empty glass in his hand as proof the other had drank it all, as per Don’s orders. Now to just keep him conscious for enough time to see if it took some effect.

Raph chirped and grinned amused when Leo owlishly looked at his face. His eyes were still dazed, not really focusing on anything, and he obviously wanted to go back to sleep - but he still reacted to the sound as usual.

\----….----

When Donnie came back to check Leo, it was to the scene of Raph making their so called turtle sounds to keep Leo awake and to Splinter filming the interaction on the phone. The old rat always was fascinated when his sons communicated this way.

He checked his brother again and sighed in relief at the steady breathing.

Mikey had explained how he had found Leo in the middle of the night while Don tried to find why their brother wouldn’t wake up and it had clicked. The unsteadiness, the trouble breathing, the possible dizziness from how he was found on the ground, the way he was cold…

The sedative he had asked Mikey to put in the tea. Had he miscalculated, made it stronger than it should be, more for Raph than slighter and smaller Leo? Or maybe it just didn’t react well with him, the mutation making the drug react in unpredictable ways. Or if he was sick, maybe it reacted wrongly with whatever was wrong with him. For all he knew, Leo had taken something before coming home and _why did he not think about that how stupid could he be-_

Donatello stopped that train of thought and flicked his brother’s forehead, declaring to the rest of the family the blue banded turtle was going to be fine, if sleepy. Leo blinked in response.

\---….---  
Mikey watched. He had calmed down once Leo started moving and gave space for Dad and Don to move around the dazed turtle. He heard from Donnie’s rambling at the lab that he thought it was the sedative he had given Leo but it didn’t seem right...

He glanced at where Leo had stayed. With the lights on, it looked as part of home as always and he had even walked there to verify that the temperature was the same. Nothing was wrong with the space. 

‘Only my imagination’ Mikey thought and decidedly ignored his instinct telling him something was afoot by going to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Some comfort food would be necessary after this event.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am tired of this chapter. Not quite sure how it went this way but have it.  
> Also I'm happy you guys are liking this story! I feel this chapter is disappointing but I kind of winged it. Which leads me to say that the sporadic updates tag is here because:  
> 1: from this chapter onwards I don't have a chapter by chapter outline  
> 2: I have a full dissertation to write in two months and I still have lab work to finish within two weeks
> 
> Basically, if you see an update in August it's me procrastinating though I will _try_ to update at least once in that month.  
> Hopefully next chapters I write will be more interesting.


	7. Chapter 7

It took half a day for Leo to stop feeling drugged and two more days for his so called twin to declare him healthy and up to form. And to stop acting like someone kicked his favorite piece of machinery. 

Now, Leo wasn’t angry he was drugged. Disappointed, yes, but not angry. One does not live with a mad genius of chaotic evil alignment without expecting to sometimes be experimented on, or on the receiving end of some questionable actions. Like being drugged.

Alright, he was a bit angry but less at Don’s questionable way of thinking and more because he now had a Problem. And nothing made it go away.

During the recovery days, no one had let him out of his sight for more than ten minutes. And he couldn’t do any straining physical exercise. The worry touched him, truly, but there were only so many websites and tv channels to go through before one got the itching to run or just do something with their body that was not sitting (then again, Splinter certainly didn’t seem to have that urge. Maybe when one gets old, they stop having energy?). Pacing only helped so much, but the lack of stimuli made him notice stuff.

A Problem was around.

So he started following his siblings to their areas and stayed chatting or as a smart aleck sounding board. And that Problem was still around.

During the half day after he was drugged it was only a presence, a slight chill and vibration in the air. On the first full day, Leo started noticing movement on the corner of his eye and on the second a couple of things moved without anyone being near them.

On the third day, an hour before they went out into the city the lights of the kitchen went out. Again.

“Doooooooonnieeeeeeeeee” Mikey yelled “The lights burst again!”

“Again?!” ah, there came the screeching techno lover, coming to fix the issue for the third time that day.

Deciding he didn’t want to hear all the cursing and yelling that was going to happen, the blue banded turtle decided to saunter to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. The light stayed off.

He breathed in deeply. Walked to the mirror with his eyes closed. He exhaled.

Leo opened his eyes and met the specter’s face instead of his reflection.

“You have nothing else to do, huh” the turtle studied the spirit’s face, a bit surprised he could actually see it had eyes? Something about that unsettled him.

The spirit stayed silent, though the temperature noticeably dropped. Their face was…. Hard to read. Blank. Creepy, but without the frightening aura from that night. Though he couldn’t really remember what had happened he could recognize it as being the same from the movie night.

With that confirmation, Leo started feeling uncomfortable. He might not remember anything but his subconscious apparently did, his instincts going from 'check what it is!' to 'GOTTA NOPE OUT OF HERE'. He moved blindly back to the door, the mirror never leaving his sight. He wasn’t that surprised the lock was being stubborn and glared at the ghost.

“Stop it” he hissed, as low as he could without alarming any of his brothers. The Problem cocked it's head to the side and with a blink from the turtle, the temperature returned to normal, the bathroom was back to pitch black and the lock unlocked easily.

The red eared slider paused and looked around. He was alone in the bathroom. 'So. That happened.’

He wished the Problem was solved that easily. As he got out of the bathroom he froze, and stared, as Raph tried to calm Don down from his rage as, apparently, the microwave decided to suddenly revolt. Mikey's eyes were wide, staring at the busted electronics.

Maybe he could convince his brothers' to go to the mystic city and conveniently lose them while going to shop some anti spirit stuff. The Ofuda obviously weren’t working.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not August _yet_


	8. Chapter 8

It took eight minutes and forty two seconds for them to find trouble since they stepped out of the sewers. Donnie wasn’t sure why he expected differently this time. In average, they found some type of crime happening anywhere between seven to twenty minutes after going up the sewer ladder. Rarely did they find no trouble whatsoever.

It took eighteen minutes after their first breath of ‘fresh’, city air to defeat the Silverfish and two minutes after that for them to realise Leonardo wasn’t with them. One minute for the purple band turtle to notice their wayward brother, recently recovered from what certainly looked like a negative reaction to his sedative, had left his phone in the lair.

“Guys…” Mikey squinted at the screen Donnie was glaring at “Where is Leo?”

\---- Mystic City ----

Leonardo did not feel guilty over ditching his brothers to go to the Mystic City. He also was feeling absolutely fine and not at all threatened by the heavy presence he could just sense weighing on his shell. Or the looks from the Yokai present at the possibly black magic market he was in.

He was fine.

Adjusting the Odashi, Leo swaggered into the market, making sure to look as if he should be there and was not to be messed with because he had a sword and knew how to use it. Arguably.

Despite the mostly illegal nature of the market, he had heard enough from Hueso’s ramblings to gather they might have authentic magical artifacts at a decent price. Hopefully, cheap enough to buy with his, rather meager, amount of money.

Most yokai at the stands ignored his presence, though one seemed to have noticed the Odashi and had greedily offered to buy it. The rest… he actually preferred being ignored over having what seemed like his soul being exposed. A wizened hag had, in fact, offered a flimsy ‘Cheap Funeral services’ card to him with a pitying look after he had asked about a couple of her artifacts.

Leo decided to end his search after that.

He chose an out of the way alley to portal back home, already mentally preparing for the lecture he knew he was going to get, when the peculiar weight of the Problem shifted and suddenly he was on his knees staring at the sky as a taser was shoved where his neck had been.

The attacker cursed.

Leonardo’s heart dropped as his body moved to turn and see two burly yokai stopping him from leaving the tight alleyway, a greedy look on their faces. His hands went to grip the Odashi in a clumsy fighting stance.

He was not the one in control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Rollerblades in, mask on face and a homemade cocoa on hand* Yo, sorry I'm late and that I only have to give you guys a third of the original chapter after months but I. Am. Swamped. Between this whole world situation, having to finish the thesis (procrastination hit me hard y'all), getting a 4 months fellowship and finishing it , being stuck on an actual island for the foreseeable future and online illustration class that starts today?
> 
>  
> 
> _Help_
> 
>  
> 
> But yeah, most of the next chapter is written but I don't know when I'll get free to finish it so get this, mostly unedited, tiny chapter.
> 
> Be kind to yourself and others, avoid going out if you can, good luck to those who are forced to go to work and I hope you are enjoying this story and it distracted you guys a bit from the crappy year. Your comments and kudos made me smile and work on this bit by tiny bit and I thank you for your patience.
> 
> See you next chapter!


End file.
